Year after Year
by superwhomerlock-kid
Summary: Four children are chosen to take part in a television show, in which they are interviewed every year from the age of seven to seventeen. Best friends, Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson are among those. This follows their interviews year after year.
1. Age 7 Auditions

**A/N: So this is an idea I have been toying with for a while now, and I finally decided that this chapter was ready to post. I haven't written any more yet, but I fully intend to. I hope you enjoy it, it's my first Klaine fic, but I'm happy wit it so... Here it is!**

* * *

The studio was huge, full of children awaiting their turn to be interviewed. Kurt Hummel walked in the door, staring around in awe, as he clung to his mother's hand. His best friend, Blaine Anderson, followed shortly, along with Kurt's father. The boys had been best friends since their first day of kindergarten, when Kurt had made a "bowtie" out of pipe-cleaners and presented it to the curly haired boy.

They were given a number each, and told to take a seat. Doing exactly as they were told, they squeezed onto a single chair between them, and proceeded to giggle and whisper until they heard a sharp voice calling their names, together. Blaine jumped up and was about to run into the interview room, before he noticed that Kurt was dawdling behind.

"What's the matter Kurt? Are you sick? Can you still do the interview?" Kurt nodded.

"I'm a little bit nervous... What if they don't like me? If I'm too shy or... Blaine, what if they pick you but not me?"

Blaine simply smiled and took his best friend's hand. He didn't say anything, but simply led him into the room.

* * *

**Blaine.**

A tall woman stood just inside the door. Her hair was tied back in a severely tight bun, and she wore a perfectly kept, smart business suit. She pointed the two boys into separate rooms along a corridor.

Blaine watched as Kurt was led into the other room. He swallowed nervously and turned his eyes to the woman in front of him. She scared him. He fiddled with his bow-tie nervously as he had his photo taken and sat down in the chair which was pointed out to him. He looked around the room, noticing how at first, it seemed to be pristine, but if you looked carefully, there was a slight crack in the plaster on the wall opposite him, or the fact that the green carpet was frayed slightly in one corner.

He then focused his attention on the woman sitting opposite him. Why did she have to be the one talking to him? The man who had been in what he referred to as "Kurt's room" seemed to be very nice, but he supposed that it was just his luck that he would get the cross one. What would happen if he couldn't answer one of her questions? He wouldn't have a chance then, and he would have to stay at home while Kurt got to go on TV by himself and then he would probably forget all about Blaine and make lots of new, much better friends... He had to do this. For himself, and for Kurt.

"Blaine Anderson, is that correct?" The woman lost no time in getting down to the business at hand.

"Y-yes ma'am." Blaine replied, timidly and politely.

"What grade are you in?"

"S-second grade, Ma'am. I go to Lima elementary wi-"He didn't get to finish his sentence before he was cut off.

"Very well Mr. Anderson, I simply asked your grade, not the entire history of your schooling. Now what are your parents' names? Have you got any siblings?"

"Well, my Mother is called Annabelle, and my Father is Theodore. I have one brother" He hesitated, not wanting to overstep his mark again, but when the woman said nothing, he continued.

"My brother's name is Cooper, he is in eighth Grade, and he just turned fourteen. That means he is..." Blaine counted on his fingers for a minute or so, causing the woman, who still hadn't given her name, to roll her eyes impatiently.

"... Seven years older than me." Blaine finished counting and announced this fact proudly, as though he had just solved an incredibly difficult mathematical equation.

"Thank you, Mr. Anderson. We shall discuss your application and get back to you as soon as we can. You may leave."

Blaine stood up, unsure of whether his interview had gone well or not. He didn't think the questions were very good, he could have talked a lot more about school, maybe even said how good friends he and Kurt were. He was sure if the woman knew that he and Kurt were best friends, she would not choose one without the other.

As he left the room, he cursed himself for taking so long to figure out how much older than him Cooper was. He knew that the woman didn't like that, and he couldn't help but think that she thought he was stupid, and only smart people would be picked for this. It wasn't his fault that he could never do Maths. His teacher had told him to get someone to help him with his homework at home. His mother and father were always too busy to help, and although Cooper tried to, he always had to spend a lot of time on his own homework as well, so wasn't able to help Blaine as much as he liked.

* * *

**Kurt**

Kurt walked shyly into the room. There was a friendly looking young man sitting in the centre of the room, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, with a dinner jacket over it. He had brown hair, which was pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck.

The man quickly told Kurt to stand by the wall while he took a photograph, and he obeyed, before sitting down in the chair opposite him. He felt uncomfortable, and couldn't help but wonder how Blaine was doing in the other room. He looked around the room, as the man seemed to be taking notes on a thick notepad.

There was nothing much to see, the walls were a faint pink, and the floor had a rough looking green carpet. Kurt couldn't help but scrunch up his nose at the colour scheme. After what felt like forever, the man looked up and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Hello, My name Is Eric. What's yours?"

"K-Kurt. But shouldn't you know that already? You have the paper that the tall lady gave you, I saw Mommy writing my name on it, Blaine's too." Kurt was nervous at the start, but by the end of his sentence he was slightly more comfortable, and showing signs of his humour that was sure to blossom as he got older.

Eric laughed. "Yeah, I do know your name, but I had to make sure that she didn't give me the wrong sheet, didn't I? Wouldn't want me to give someone else credit for your brilliance, now would we?" He joked, putting Kurt completely at ease.

"So, Kurt. You are in second grade, right?" Kurt nodded, and Eric wrote something down in his notepad. "So tell me about yourself. What is your family like?"

"Well, my Mom's name is Elizabeth, and my Dad's name is Burt. I don't have any brothers or sisters, but Blaine comes over a lot, so it's like he is my brother."

Eric smiled at this. "And what about school? Do you have lots of friends?"

Well, only Blaine really, although that girl Mercedes seems nice... She wears nice clothes anyway... Well, not as nice as mine, of course, but she is probably number two. The other boys don't really talk to me that much... They prefer playing football. Blaine likes football as well, but he still plays with me in the playground at break times."

Eric nodded, and told Kurt that this was very good, and he may leave now. He didn't want to ask too many questions, as then there would be nothing left for the cameras, but he needed an idea of how well Kurt could answer them for the show. It was really a brilliant idea on his behalf. Choose four children, two boys, and two girls, and interview them every year, until they turn eighteen. Of course he would have to make sure that they were lovable enough to keep the audience interested between interviews, but he had a feeling that this boy would work nicely. He knew that this "Blaine" must be auditioning in the next room, and wanted to see if he could manage to get them both. From what Kurt had said, showing the two boys' stories side-by-side should prove to be _very _interesting.

* * *

On the car ride home, Both Kurt and Blaine sat beside each other in the back seat. Kurt was excitedly describing every little detail of his interview, getting more and more excited every time he said something, until eventually Burt had to turn around to get him to calm down. Every word he said made Blaine feel worse and worse about his own interview. He was now almost positive that he would not get the part, but he didn't say anything so as not to spoil Kurt's mood.

"How did you do Blaine, you're being awfully quiet!" Elizabeth asked happily, not noticing how Blaine didn't seem to want to speak, as her eyes were fixed on the road ahead. Blaine had no choice but to tell the truth now, as tears were threatening to spill down his cheeks.

"Well... She asked me my name and stuff, but she didn't seem awfully interested... She wouldn't even let me say anything for some parts... I'm sorry Kurt." As he spoke, a single tear dropped down from his eye, and ran down his face. It hung from his chin, about to fall and splash onto the fabric of his trousers, but Kurt wiped it away with his sleeve.

"Don't worry Blaine, I told them all about you! They know enough now, and if they Don't choose you, then I will only talk about you, every time, until they are forced to bring you in as well, just to make sure that nobody is confused." Kurt proclaimed.

Blaine smiled tearfully. "You mean it? You don't think I screwed up my chances?" He looked hopefully at the adults.

"Of course not, buddy. You are just as good as any of the other kids, if not better. You have Kurt here fightin' your corner, after all!" Burt smiled at Blaine, and he suddenly felt much happier. He didn't mind, really, if he got to be on television or not. As long as Kurt was still his best friend, and Burt and Elizabeth looked out for him while his parents were working, Blaine would be just fine.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Judy, give the kid a chance! You didn't even ask him the right questions!" Eric burst out. He was addressing the sharp looking woman from Blaine's interview. They had been sat there for several hours, and it was well into the early hours of the morning, but they finally had it narrowed down to five boys. The girls were picked already, they had been relatively easy.

The beaming face of one Rachel Berry sat in front of them, with a theatrical resume bursting with references, one which was surprisingly heavy for a girl only seven years of age. Beside her photo, lay Quinn Fabray, smiling sweetly and innocently up at the ceiling. She had been the more difficult of the two girls to choose. At first, she was your average daddy's girl. But when they dug deeper, they found that she was bookish and clever, with a sharp tongue that managed to correct even Judy.

"I asked him all of the topics you specified. His name, Family, and School. What else did you want?"

"Give the boy a chance to _speak_ Judy. You cut him off almost straight away!"

"I will have you know, I gave the boy a chance to speak on his family, and he took about twenty minutes trying to remember how old his own brother was!" She cut in sharply.

Eric looked irritated. "Judy. This is my show, and I say we give the boy a chance at least. You were much better with all of the other children, what makes Blaine so different? I am putting him through, whether you like it or not."

Judy huffed, but eventually gave in. After that it was quite a simple matter of choosing the second boy. Judy pointed out that Blaine and Quinn might match up quite well, as they were both from quite well off, well respected families, so suggested that they chose a boy who seemed to match Rachel in terms of individuality and ambition. The only boy from their remaining five who fit those categories was Kurt.

Eric breathed a sigh of relief and agreed. He had his own reasons for wanting both Kurt and Blaine on the show, but he wasn't about to tell those to Judy, now was he?

* * *

**So basically, this will be ****_mostly_**** Kurt and Blaine, but Rachel and Quinn will appear in each chapter as well. What do you think of Eric and Judy? Let me know in a review!**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Sorcha Xxx**


	2. Age 8 Getting To Know You

**A/N Hey guys! I am so sorry for the huge delay in posting this chapter! I have just been in one of those moods where i couldn't just sit down and write you know? I know I said it would be two days between updates, but I realize that that is pretty ambitious... I may aim for once a week perhaps?**

**I am amazed at the response this story is getting, and I am so happy you all seem to be enjoying it!**

**Reviews: "D" The interviews will probably vary in length, as you will see, this chapter is mostly still getting to know them, the real stories will probably start next chapter (But don't hold me to that!) And I agree about Eric and Judy, but you will have to wait and see about them!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**(Again, Glee is most definitely NOT MINE. Nor are any of the characters. Except Eric and Judy. I made them.)**

* * *

Kurt had received a letter two weeks after his initial audition, informing him that he had gotten a place on the show. He was overjoyed and called Blaine as soon as he read it.

"Did you get a letter Blaine? Did you get in? Did you? Did you?" Kurt said excitedly, as soon as he heard Blaine's voice on the other end.

Blaine laughed, as Kurt waited anxiously for a reply. Cooper could be heard in the background complaining that he needed the phone. There was a quick scuffle and finally Blaine responded.

"I did get in Kurt! They called about ten minutes ago, and I tried to ring you but you must have been talking to them then! They said we are gonna be interviewed next month, and that we have to make sure we have lots of stuff to say." Blaine babbled. "It was a man on the phone to me, he said his name was Eric. He seemed nice."

"The woman was talking to my daddy. He said she wasn't very nice to him. Mom is out getting the groceries, I can't wait to tell her! She should be home soon, I think. " Kurt smiles at how Blaine seemed to be just as excited as him. Burt had told him that the first interview for television would be the following month, and that both he and Blaine would be interviewed at the same time, but not together, and the two girls would be interviewed afterwards.

* * *

The morning of the interview came, and the pair of boys sat together in a waiting room. It was far smaller than the one they had been in before, and this one had only twelve seats. One for each of the four children, and each of their parents. Burt and Elizabeth sat beside Kurt, but Blaine's parents had another business meeting, so had sent Cooper along instead. He sat, appearing bored, but he still comforted Blaine when he seemed to be nervous.

Across the room, sat a blonde haired girl, who appeared to be the same age as them. Her hair flowed down her back, and she wore a Pink dress, with a matching hairband. She sat between a man and woman, who must have been her parents. She was very quiet, though she didn't seem nervous. She held her head high, and it seemed as though she simply didn't want to talk to the two boys.

After a few moments, the door burst open, and a second girl skipped in energetically, beaming from ear to ear. She wore a blue skirt with polka dots, a white blouse, and a Navy cardigan with little puppies embroidered on the pockets. Her socks were pulled up to her knees, and her hair in two braids at the sides of her head. She walked straight up to Blaine, who was sitting nearest the door.

"Hello, My name is Rachel Berry. I'm eight. What's your name?" She said, loudly.

"Um... I'm Blaine." He replied, slightly in shock from her abrupt appearance. She went around the room, introducing herself to everyone in the same manner, before Sitting between the two men who had followed her in, smiling fondly at her.

"These are my Dads, Hiram and Leroy." She announced, pointing at each of them as she said their names. They smiled and greeted the group with a friendly manner. Quinn seemed to have lost interest soon after Rachel had entered, and was now engrossed in plaiting the hair of her Barbie just right. Her parents greeted the family; though they seemed reserved, even more so than they had while greeting the Hummels. Cooper said Hello to them, smiling, though seemingly awkward around them, as though he wasn't sure what to say. Burt and Elizabeth, however, Stood up and greeted them warmly, and within minutes they were chatting amicably together.

* * *

After a couple of minutes, Eric walked in, closely followed by Judy.

"Blaine, you will be with me for now, Kurt, you can go with Judy. Parents, there is a coffee room through that door, if you want anything." He pointed to the far side of the room, then went on to explain what would be happening In the show. He had decided that it would be best to interview each child separately at first, then as time went by, he may interview certain pairs together to get interactions with people other than himself and Judy.

He beckoned for the boys to follow him, and led Blaine into a room on the left, while Kurt walked with Judy to the door on the right.

Blaine looked around in awe. His house was big, and some would call it fancy, but he couldn't help but be impressed by this room. It was huge. It reminded him of the time he had been to the circus with Kurt and Cooper. There were people moving everywhere, and in the centre there was a stage, done up to look like a mix between a living room and a toy room. It had a bookshelf, filled with children's stories, and a toy box in the corner. A fireplace stood in the middle of the large fake wall, in front of which were two puffy armchairs.

Eric told Blaine to go and enjoy himself for a few minutes, so he immediately picked up a book and sat up on the armchair. It was quite a big book, but Blaine liked to read. He opened the first page and read silently.

"_Mr and Mrs Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."_

It was almost fifteen minutes before Blaine was interrupted from his reading to be interviewed. He hadn't even noticed the cameras focusing on him as he read. He closed the book, being careful to mark his page at the end of the first chapter. He looked up to see Eric sitting on the chair opposite him.

"So Blaine, Tell me about yourself..."

* * *

Kurt walked into the room, barely noticing the size. He walked to the little false room in the centre, and sat on the rug by the fireplace. He found a little set of dolls, and started dressing them up in various outfits until it was time for him to be interviewed. Judy walked in then and sat down. The cameras focused on Kurt's face and he smiled.

"Kurt. Tell me why you auditioned for this show?" She asked. Her tone couldn't be described as friendly, but it was far kinder than it had been with Blaine.

"Well, You see, Me and my friend Blaine were watching Television, and we saw an advert asking if Kids from Lima would audition for a TV show. We thought it would be fun to go, and I really wanted to go on it, because everyone at school would see me on it and then they would all want to be my friends. I don't wanna be friends with them anymore though. I only need to be friends with Blaine, and they are all mean to me so I shouldn't try to please 'em. That's what my Mom tells me."

Judy smiled. It was an odd thing to see, and Kurt couldn't help but wince at the lipstick on her front tooth. "Hm. You like watching Television? What's your favourite show?"

Kurt grinned. "Of course I like TV! Who doesn't? I love Spongebob, But so does everyone else. Me and Blaine always watch _The Fresh Prince_ or _Sabrina_ after school. I know all the words to the songs!" He announced proudly, and proceeded to prove this by singing both theme song of _The Fresh Prince of Bel Air_ loudly for the cameras.

* * *

Blaine was getting along very well in his interview as well. He talked about Spending time with Kurt, His favourite movies, (_Toy Story_ and _The Lion King, _but he admitted to enjoying the Princess movies as well, and even mentioned that he had a toy Flounder instead of a rubber duck for the bathtub.) He was chatting easily with Eric, who was definitely far nicer than mean old Judy.

"So Blaine. I noticed that your Mom and Dad aren't here again today? Where are they, that is so important they had to send you off all on your own?"

"Well, you see, I'm not alone. I'm here with Kurt and his Mom and Dad, and my brother Cooper came too, even though I know he wanted to hang out with his friends today. Mom and Dad are working. I'm not sure where though, I never get to go see them at work, 'cause Kids aren't allowed in there. Burt's job is cool though. He fixes up cars, and I'm allowed to help him sometimes while I'm waiting for Kurt to come out and play. Kurt doesn't like cars, but that's okay, because I like playing with him more than I like cars anyway so I don't mind not helping all of the time."

Eric grinned, not for the first time during the interview. "And what do you and Kurt do then? Wnen you are together?"

"Oh, we do lots of stuff! Sometimes we play pretend in the garden, like have tea parties or play school and stuff, and sometimes we stay inside and watch TV. My favourite show is _Dexter's Lab_ or _Power Rangers, _but we always love watching _Sabrina _and _The Fresh Prince. _ I bet Kurt Sang the song... He always sings..."

* * *

The interviews took about an hour each, and afterwards they had to wait for both girls to finish theirs. While they waited, they were given a lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (Kurt had the crust cut off, his grandma had said it made your hair curl, and Blaine seemed to be proof of that, so he steered clear of it). They also had apple juice, and were allowed to watch TV, even though there was nothing good on. They played that they were in a restaurant instead, and called the adults as though they were waiters and waitresses.

After the interviews were over, Eric and Judy gathered them all together again, and congratulated them on doing so well. They said that the show would be on TV the following Tuesday, and the Tuesday after. Each show would be an hour and a half long. The children, even Quinn, who had been interviewed by Eric, were all smiling and laughing together, and the adults started gathering up their things and preparing to leave.

Blaine had just buckled himself into the car, when he seemed to remember something, and ran back inside, before returning with something under his jacket. Nobody questioned it, they just assumed that he had forgotten a toy he had brought, or maybe got hungry and took another sandwich. Blaine sometimes did odd things like that.

In the car on the way back, Kurt was oddly silent. Blaine noticed and leaned over to him.

"Are you feeling okay, Kurt?" He whispered, carefully.

"Of course I am, today was brilliant! I'm just really tired is all. You know what I mean?" He answered, yawning, as if to prove his point. Blaine yawned as well.

"Yeah, I get it..." he mumbled, and by the time they got home, the two boys were fast asleep in the back seat, and Cooper had to carry Blaine in when they dropped him home, and the same for Burt and Kurt when they got to the Hummels.

* * *

**So there you go! What do you think will happen in the next chapter? What do you think was really bothering Kurt? What did Blaine take/borrow from the studio? And most of all: Did you enjoy it and do you still want to read more? Let me know in the reviews!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Sorcha xx**


	3. Age 9 Remembrance

**A/N Okay, so I know I can't excuse how late this is, but I found this chapter really hard to write, and I really hope I did it justice.. **

**I think I have replied to all of my reviews, and if I haven't I am really sorry for missing one!**

**I really hope there are no glaring errors here, as I edited it in a hurry, but please point any out to me if you find one!**

**As usual, I do not own Glee. If I did Klaine would have kisses every episode, and Finchel wouldn't have gotten back together after season one. Rachel would live happy ever after with Jesse, and Blaine would be a senior. But enough of what I would change, on to the chapter! **

* * *

Kurt and Blaine sat on the floor in the Hummel's living room, excitedly awaiting the introduction to what they referred to as "Our Show". Burt sat on the couch, smiling down at the two boys. He was waiting for Elizabeth to get back from the store, as she was buying snacks for them to eat as they watched. She had left half an hour ago, and the show was due to start any minute now. She had probably gotten caught up talking to someone, she was very friendly, and often ended up talking to several different people whenever she went out, but was usually too polite to tell them if she was in a hurry. Burt hoped she would make it back in time for the show.

Suddenly Kurt squealed as a promo came on, showing his and Blaine's face, along with those of the two girls.

"Daddy! Daddy!" He shouted, "That's me!" Blaine joined him in babbling excitedly about what was about to air, but they suddenly got incredibly quiet as they hear a few bars of music, and saw Eric walking out onto the screen.

They sat there in almost complete silence for the next ninety minutes, letting out an occasional gasp, and even a squeal from Kurt at one point, as they saw themselves on the screen.

When the show was over, Burt stood up, checking his watch. Why was Elizabeth out this late? She can't have gotten delayed that long... He walked to the window and looked out at the driveway. It was empty. The sky was dark, and it was starting to rain.

"Daddy, how come mommy isn't home yet?" Burt turned around to see Kurt standing behind him, looking confused and holding a teddy bear. Before he could give an answer, however, the phone rang. Burt ran to it, expecting a call from Elizabeth, explaining that she had a puncture, or had gotten stuck in traffic. However, when he answered the call, it was not his wife on the other end.

The voice was warm, and he supposed it would normally be friendly and cheerful, but on this occasion that was not the case. He heard the words and it took a while for them to sink in.

"Mr Hummel? I am from St Mary's Hospital, in Lima. I am afraid to say your wife has been brought in. It seems to be a hit and run case, you should try to come in as soon as you can."

He stood, the phone hanging limply by his side, after murmuring an affirmation and hanging up. He stood there for what seemed like no time at all, but in reality it must have been several minutes, because there was Kurt, holding Blaine's hand and looking fearfully up at him.

"Daddy, what's wrong? Who was that? Is it mommy? Did she get lost? You'll find her won't you? Won't you Daddy?"

* * *

The months went by, and it didn't get any better, but they fell into a routine. Kurt would go to school and Burt would go to the shop, and when School finished, Kurt and Blaine were both collected by a babysitter, where they would eat dinner, do their homework, and play until six, when Burt closed up.

Before they knew it, a year had passed, and it was time to go back to the studio.

Rachel was bubbly as ever, wearing a purple, striped pinafore, with a pink polo neck top underneath. She skipped in, followed by her dads, and immediately sat down beside Kurt. He blinked in surprise, but turned and gave her a small, unsure smile.

When Quinn came in, she chose the seat next to Rachel. She didn't say much, but Rachel soon began talking to her loud enough for both of them.

This time, the girls were interviewed first. Rachel ran in to Eric's interview room and as soon as the cameras were on her, she shone. It was no wonder she was picked for the show. She talked with almost no prompting, and by the time the interview was over, Eric was laughing along with her, though he wondered how much of what she had said would make the audience stay with the story.

Quinn was different, she spoke carefully, and Judy noted that almost every other word out of her mouth was either "I" or "me". However, her stories were interesting enough, and she was fairly likeable, if you didn't read too much into what she was saying. They would have to cut some parts of her interview, but it was fairly obvious that Quinn's would be a very interesting story to tell.

* * *

Finally, it was the boy's turn to be interviewed. To Blaine's dismay, he was sent to Judy's room. However he was happy that Kurt wouldn't have to deal with her cold nature when he was going to have to talk about such a difficult subject.

Judy Indicated for him to sit and occupy himself, as he had last time. Blaine immediately went to the bookshelf, and carefully selected a book. He read until he noticed Judy sitting In the opposite chair. She cleared her throat, and Blaine carefully dog-eared his book, placing it on the armrest of the chair.

He wore a bowtie with red and yellow polka dots, and a deep blue sweater vest. Cooper had attempted to neaten his unruly curls by combing them, but it had resulted in them becoming a frizzy mess that resembled an afro. He patted it with a hand, nervously, as the camera man signalled that they were starting to film the interview.

* * *

Kurt sat quietly in his interview chair, subconsciously picking at a loose strand on his cardigan, swinging his legs, nervously awaiting his interview and the inevitable questions that he wouldn't be able to answer without crying.

Eric sat down opposite him and smiled reassuringly. He already knew what had happened during the year, he couldn't just go do an interview with no research whatsoever. In fact, he planned at some point to do interviews on camera with the family and friends of what he now fondly referred to as "his kids". He knew that Kurt's mother had passed, and he planned on being sensitive about the subject, but he couldn't _not_ address it in the interview, now could he?

"So Blaine, you enjoy reading, I take it?" Judy asked him, after getting greetings and other such formalities out of the way. She eyed the book as she said it, and Blaine shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but when he answered his voice showed little signs of nerves.

"Yes, I do... I started reading the first book last year, and... I... Borrowed it, to finish it. I wanted to get the next one in the shop, but mom and dad wouldn't let me. They said that "Those fantasy books will get you nowhere. If you want to read, we will get you some good, non-fiction books. " The next day they came home with a stack of them. I read them, but every one was as boring as the last..."

Blaine suddenly seemed to remember the cameras as he stopped speaking. His eyes went wide, and what looked like fear crossed his eyes. He started to babble about how he didn't mind, really, and that it was for the best that he wasn't allowed to read them. His parents were right, a young boy needed structure and good strong morals, not some airy-fairy stories that gave you nothing but hopeless dreams.

It sounded as though he were reeling off a speech that had been told to him over and over. And that he had eventually grown to believe it himself.

Judy looked startled, but soon covered it up. What kind of parent didn't allow their child to read fiction? It was one thing to want them to have a good education, and common sense, but it was quite another to deliberately deprive them of fantasy, imagination, and, she suspected, creativity.

She quickly pulled herself back together, all of these thoughts taking place in a matter of seconds, and quickly moved the conversation away from his family. They talked about school, and about the Hummels briefly, though she knew Eric wanted to save the majority of that conversation for Kurt. They continued talking for another half hour, and at the end of the interview, Judy leaned over, took the book in her hand, and whispered a promise to give it to Burt Hummel for Blaine before they left.

* * *

"So Kurt." Eric started in a soft, comforting voice. "I understand you have had a pretty tough year?" He made it a question, and Kurt flinched slightly at the fact that he was getting straight to the tough questions. He hesitated for a moment, trying to force his facial expression into something that didn't show how distressed he was. He failed to.

Eric still seemed to be awaiting an answer, however, so he began to speak. His voice was shaky, but somehow he managed to keep speaking.

"Almost a year ago, m-my mom got in a car accident. Dad got a phone call, and we had to go into the Hospital. I didn't get to see her though. They said something about her being critical, but I didn't really understand them. I stayed in the waiting room all night, and dad stayed with me. They wouldn't even let him in. The next day, she had to have surgery. I- I got to go and see her afterwards, but only for a little while... She.. She said..."

However, at this, tears began to fall down his cheels and he wiped them away roughly with his sleeve. He took a deep breath, and after several minutes he seemed to be able to continue.

"She was lying on the bed, but she didn't look like herself. She was covered in bandages, all over her head, and it was weird in there... Like when you go on an airplane and your nose gets all itchy. It smelled like medicine and kind of not real, you know?" At this point the tears were falling freely down his face, but he was no longer making any effort to stop them.

He finally got to what he had been about to say when his tears had first interrupted him.

"She told me she loved me, and to always remember that whatever happened to me, whatever anyone said, that I was loved, that I was strong, and that as long as I held my head up high, no-one could ever hurt me. Then she said goodbye."

After that, there was nothing Eric could do or say to get Kurt to speak any more, so he didn't try to. He simply let the cameras get a shot of the boy's tear stained face, and told him softly that he could leave.

* * *

Blaine and Kurt both walked out of their interview rooms at the same time. Blaine was marvelling at the fact that Judy had seemed almost... _Kind_. That was a concept that took a great deal of thought. He smiled to himself at the thought that he may be able to read his book, if only when he visited Kurt.

However, one look at Kurt, and the smile immediately vanished from his face. He ran over and pulled his best friend into a hug. He knew how hard it must have been for Kurt to talk about what had happened that year, and could tell from his face that he just needed to be held, like he had held him at the funeral, while Burt was away dealing with other family members and neighbours. They had sat on the sofa swing in the back yard, surrounded by the rose bushes that Elizabeth had loved so much, and Blaine held Kurt, and let him cry into his shoulder, knowing that he simply needed comforting. It was the same now.

They walked out into the waiting room, where Rachel and Quinn were playing, although they seemed to have had an argument, as Quinn had the _Polly Pocket_s protected behind her as she played with them one by one, and Rachel Had the Barbies Lined up along a toy ballet bar, her leg resting defensively in front of them. Every few moments, they would shoot the other a look that clearly said "You want them, you can come and get them, but don't hold me responsible for your injuries".

Kurt, however, noticed none of this, as he had run straight to his father as soon as he saw him. Burt, too, knew what was wrong, for he took his son by both hands, knelt down in front of him, and placed a kiss to his forehead. Kurt smiled softly, and sniffed, and Burt took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his eyes and nose, before wrapping him in a tight embrace. He led Kurt out the door, but not before Judy had stopped him and handed him a package and whispering something in his ear.

The three walked out the door together, hand in hand, as Kurt had taken Blaine's again as soon as he could.

Sure, it was awful now, but Kurt knew, even though it would never get better, and he would never stop hurting at the loss, his mother's last words to him were true. He was loved, and that was all that mattered. He even managed a small smile, a real one this time, and the sight made Burt smile, as it was the first time in months that he had seen that smile, and it made everything worthwhile.

* * *

**So I hope you liked it! **

**I've been thinking of posting this on scarvesandcoffe(dot)net what do you think? My pen name there is "Blazersandbowties" if you want to find me.**

**A huge thank you to _LunaLovegoodIsFreakinAwesome_ for the moral support on this chapter! Couldn't have done it without you!**

**-Sorcha xoxo**


	4. Age 10 Life Goes On

******AN: So here it is! chapter 4. Not sure what to say for now, other than the song is _What Dreams Are Made Of, _by Hilary Duff. It's in the Lizzie McGuire movie, which Kurt mentions. I'm sure most (if not all) of you know it already.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. If I did there would be no such thing as hiatus.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The day the interview was set to air, Kurt kept Burt as close to him as he could manage. It was almost as if he was afraid something would happen to him if he left. Burt seemed to understand what was wrong, so he closed the shop for the day, and stayed home with his son. When seven thirty came around, Kurt cuddled in to his side on the sofa to watch. During his interview, Kurt had to bury his head into his father's side, and Burt felt tears pricking at his eyes.

Blaine was watching in his own house. Mr and Mrs Anderson had a business dinner which they were attending, so Blaine and Cooper had the house to themselves. Blaine liked when it was like that. The last time, Cooper had taken Blaine to the movie theatre to see the film _Brother Bear_, and since then they had called each other "Koda" and "Kenai" as nicknames.

"Koda! It's about to start!" Cooper yelled up the stairs to Blaine, who had been reading in his bedroom. He thundered down the stairs, grinning, and met Cooper on the armchair by the television. Cooper put his arm around his little brother, and seemed to be genuinely shocked about both Kurt's speech, and Blaine's letting slip the fact that he was not allowed to read _Harry Potter _ at home.

"Dad..." The show was over, and father and son were still sitting next to each other, watching the cheesy film that had come on afterwards.

"Yeah, Kiddo?"

"You know Rachel...?" Kurt enquired.

Burt could tell he was beating about the bush for something. "Yeah, she seems like a nice girl, once you get to know her. What about her?"

"Nothing, nothing... It's just... She has no mom either, does she?" It wasn't really a question, so Burt let him continue.

"But it isn't the same as us... She has two dads... But you told me that you need a mom and a dad to make a baby..." Kurt looked confused, as though he were contemplating something that had never occurred to him before.

Burt, however, had been anticipating something like this for a few years at this point, so he had an answer ready. "You see Kurt, you do need a man and a woman to make a baby, but the man and woman don't have to be the baby's parents. There are lots of different types of families, some with a mom and a dad, like Blaine's, some with just a mom, some with just a dad, like us, now. Then there are kids who get adopted by people who love them just as much as the people who had them, if not more. Then there are families with two dads, or two moms. They might need to borrow another mom or dad, to give them a baby, but they are still the kid's parents. Do you understand?"

"I _think_ so..." Kurt said. "So what you are saying is... Gay people can have babies, even without a mom? As long as the dads love each other enough to figure out a way?"

Burt nodded. "Exactly. Now how about I put on some popcorn, and you and I watch a movie?"

Kurt smiled and nodded, and they spent the night laughing and watching "Finding Nemo" together, a film they had both fallen in love with when they had seen it in the cinema earlier that year.

* * *

Before they knew it, it was time, once again, to film their interviews. Kurt smiled up at Hiram and Leroy as they walked in with Rachel, before the three children went and started talking about TV, movies and music. Quinn came in soon afterwards, sat right down beside them and started chatting away comfortably with the others.

After about ten minutes, they were called for their interviews. They boys were first again; they were informed it would alternate in this way each year, boys first, then girls first, then boys first, and so on. Kurt felt a lump in his throat as he remembered the last time he had been there, what he had spoken about, but he felt Blaine's hand grip his own briefly, and he smiled in spite of it all. It was okay now, he thought. They were doing good. He walked into Judy's room as indicated and sat down, as he had for his last three interviews. He glanced around, and saw that, though the room was the same one, some things in it had changed. For example, the toys were mostly the same, but when Kurt looked, there were less dinky cars and Barbie dolls, and more video games and construction and craft sets.

Kurt took a set which had the label _"Design fashionable outfits in a FLASH!"_ and began looking though its contents interestedly. He was just putting the finishing touches to an outfit on the miniature figure, which comprised of a knee-length skirt in a pale blue colour, with tiny flowers around the hem, a top in lilac, which was slightly plain, but tasteful, and a patterned scarf to top off the look, when Judy walked in. He smiled at her and she glanced at his work. He thought she seemed impressed, but she soon returned her features to their usual stern expression as she motioned for him to take his seat for the interview.

* * *

Eric ushered Blaine into the interview room and walked straight to the bookshelf, placing the borrowed book on the shelf, and immediately taking the next one. Judy had, of course, informed Eric of Blaine's situation, and he couldn't help but think that if he could get Blaine to open up about his home life, the public would eat it up. It was painfully obvious to Eric, by the fact that his parents never accompanied him to these interviews, and the fact that they restricted what he could and couldn't read so strictly, not to mention the boy's fear when he had accidentally let it slip the previous year, that the family was at least somewhat abusive towards their youngest son.

Blaine was sitting on the armchair, his legs barely hanging off the edge of the seat, biting his lip slightly as he read. He seemed lost in the book, like nothing else around him was relevant, because right now, he was living in the story, and the story lived in him. Eric sat there, watching him, for several minutes, until eventually he couldn't put it off any more and called Blaine to start the interview. He had to call twice, because Blaine was so engrossed in the story that the sound hadn't registered the first time. He jumped and looked around nervously, before seeming to realize that he was in the studio, putting his book aside (after marking his page carefully) and smiling across at Eric.

* * *

"Kurt. I hope this year has been easier for you." Judy started off his interview pleasantly enough. Kurt thought that he might possibly start to like Judy, just a little bit. She didn't seem to be as mean as she had before. He could tell that underneath her strictness and her terrible fashion sense, she had a kind heart, and he hoped that she would learn to show it.

"Yes, ma'am." That didn't stop him from being terrified that she would berate him on television. "It's been a good year, I guess. Compared to last..."

"Have you got many friends in school?" Kurt swallowed. He didn't know how to answer that. Sure, he had Blaine, and that was good enough for him, and some days, when Blaine was sick, or out of school for some reason, as happened quite often, he could talk to Rachel, and even Quinn, if she was in a good mood. But some of the rest of the kids seemed not to like him. Some of them were okay, they kept their distance, and never bothered him, but there were others, who seemed to think it was their job to upset him, and make his life a living hell. Sometimes it was just words, and he could pretend not to hear them, but sometimes they bumped into him and Blaine a little too hard in the hallways to be accidental, or, when they were lining up to go into class, would step on their toes and pinch their arms, though never so that a teacher would ever suspect.

Kurt thought, if it wasn't for Blaine, they might have succeeded. He couldn't say this to the cameras though. Who knew who could be watching? So instead he muttered; "Well I'm still friends with Blaine, and Rachel and Quinn are nice too... But I don't really talk to other people all that much, I'm happy as it is."

Vera looked as though she suspected what he had been thinking, and paused before carrying on.

"Tell me Kurt, this is an easier question now, what is the last movie you saw?"

Kurt's face brightened slightly. "Well, the last one I saw in the theatre was _School of Rock _with Blaine, but I saw _The Lizzie McGuire Movie _on television last week. It was really good!"

"I take it you like movies with music in them, then? Do you like to sing?" Vera had, of course, discussed the matter with Burt, so she could anticipate Kurt's enthusiastic "Yes!" before she heard it. When she asked him if he would like to sing for the cameras, properly this time, his face lit up and he stood immediately. Someone from the wings handed him a microphone, and he started singing.

_Have you ever seen such a beautiful night?  
I could almost kiss the stars,  
For shining so bright..._

His voice was incredibly strong for someone so strong. There was no back up music, as there was no way to know what song he would have sung, and even if there was, the studio's house band was very unlikely to know this song. As he got to the chorus, his voice grew louder, and stronger, and despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that his voice was so high, even for a ten year old, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to listen to him. Kurt barely noticed, however, because the music consumed him until there was nothing but him and the song.

_Hey now, hey now.  
This is what dreams are made of.  
Hey now, hey now.  
This is what dreams are made of.  
I've got, somewhere I belong,  
I've got, somebody to love.  
This is what dreams...  
Are made of._

After he had finished singing, there was a stunned silence in the room. He quickly went back to his chair, his cheeks turning slightly pink, and sat down. The interview finished up without any more major occurrences, probably because Vera was finding it hard to get over the boy's performance. She dismissed him after several minutes of what she knew would most likely be used purely as filler, especially if Eric managed to get Blaine to talk.

* * *

"So Blaine, I take it you still like reading?" Eric asked, once the cameras started rolling.

Blaine smiled and nodded. "I love it..." he mumbled. He was clearly worried about giving too much information away, an issue that Eric had anticipated.

"You like reading, so I assume English would be one of your best school subjects?" He supposed he should start with average, easy questions to make the Boy feel comfortable, and then he would hopefully coax something out of him regarding his family life.

Blaine smiled, and he figured the plan must be working. "Well, I do enjoy English, but I prefer choir practice. Sometimes, we even get to get out of math or other subjects to go to choir, if we are singing somewhere soon. Kurt does it too, it's great!" Eric seemed slightly baffled, he ruffled though his notes, but couldn't find anywhere that Blaine had previously expressed an interest in performing. He seemed shy, reserved and bookish, but, on the other hand, he couldn't deny that having a friend like Kurt would surely lend some interest in music.

Blaine seemed to read his surprise, because he said, "I may not seem like the type, but I really do love music. I started learning piano when I was five, and Ke - I mean Coop says, if I'm good, he's gonna teach me how to play guitar soon!" The enthusiasm in his voice was unmistakeable. Eric made a mental note to have an instrument of two in the interview rooms the next year.

The rest of Blaine's interview passed without much incident. Eric tried to make Blaine let something slip about his family, but Blaine was far too conscious to fall for it. The only time he came close was when, upon being asked about what he liked most about his bedroom, Blaine had let slip that he rarely used his own room, as "The boards are softer in Coop's room". Eric wasn't quite sure what to make of this, and Blaine seemed to realize he had said something out of the ordinary, because he refused point-blank to answer any more questions relating to family or housing from that point on.

* * *

As they drove home that evening, Burt smiled fondly as Kurt and Blaine filled each other in on the details of their respective interviews. They laughed at the fact that Eric hadn't known of Blaine's musical inclination, at the camera crew's response to Kurt's singing, and about the day in general. However, when Burt pulled up in front of the Anderson's house, Blaine's mood darkened slightly.

Burt noticed this, and seemed to realize that Blaine didn't want to go into his house that night. He may not have known the exact details of what went on in there, but he knew that something was up with John and Amelia's disciplining skills, that made Blaine reluctant to want to go home from the Hummel's when he was there.

"Hey, bud." He called from the front seat, "Would you like to stay at our place for the night? I'll ring your mom and let her know you are okay, and that I'll drop you off tomorrow, okay sport?" If Burt had had any misconceptions about whether this was the right thing to do, they all disappeared when he saw the delighted expression on Blaine's face. They drove off, every one of them in brighter spirits than they would have deemed possible the previous year.

* * *

**As usual, thanks for reading! see you next chapter :)**


	5. Age 11 Severed Ties

**AN: Hey guys! I know, I know, I have neglected this story for far too long! I hope you all don't hate me! **

**The song in this chapter is "Lean On Me" (which I'm sure you all know) I wasn't planning on having a song here, but I felt it fit the situation too well *not* to put in! Don't you?**

**Disclaimer: As usual, Glee is not mine. (Believe me, there would not only be more Klaine, but FAR less autotuning those perfect voices!) **

* * *

Blaine sat alone on the sofa ten minutes before the show was due to was upstairs working on his homework, as he was a senior now, and was trying to get into a good college to study law, or possibly medicine. Blaine didn't know what his parents had agreed on yet. Suddenly, he heard a thump, and someone shouting. Blaine huddled down, hugging a cushion to his face to hide his tears. Arguments were a common occurrence in the Anderson household, but that didn't mean Blaine had grown to accept them, or even get used to them.

As the opening bars of the introduction tune played from the television, the shouting hadn't stopped. If anything, it had gotten louder. It was his dad and Cooper, as usual. He tried to tune them out, and focus on the show, but it was no use. He couldn't hear the exact words, but he got the idea of the argument. Something about "College" and "Acting". Blaine remembered when Copper took part in the school production of "The Merchant of Venice" the previous year, in which he played Antonio. Although Blaine hadn't understood some of the old fashioned language (What was a "Cur" anyways?), he could tell that his brother had enjoyed it thoroughly.

His parents, needless to say, had not been overly ecstatic. Especially when Cooper had spent the entire drive home discussing "The blatantly obvious homoerotic undertones between Antonio and Bassanio"

As the show drew to a close, there was a thundering on the stairs, and Cooper flew into the living room, carrying a suitcase, with a large red welt on the side of his face. He knelt in front of his brother.

"Koda. I have to leave now, okay? Be good for me, I'll ring Kurt's dad to let you know where I am. You cannot tell them anything do you understand?" Blaine simply nodded, dumb with surprise, as he watched his brother running out the door and getting into his car, which had been a gift for his sixteenth birthday.

* * *

The rest of the year passed in a blur for both Kurt and Blaine. They started middle school, which, as they had been warned, was much tougher than Elementary had been. The other kids had progressed from pinching and toe stepping, to hitting and tripping, and the name calling got worse. They still had each other though, and Rachel and Quinn became close friends. They also met some new friends, such as Mercedes, a black girl who was almost as passionate about things as Rachel was, and Tina, who, despite being quiet and having a stutter, was really fun to have around.

Blaine spent more and more nights with Kurt, as being alone in the house with his parents, especially when they were in a bad mood, was not a good idea. He did have to stay there sometimes though, and nine times out of ten when he did, he ended up with at least one new bruise. He grew to resent Cooper for leaving him alone, though he new deep down how hard it must have been. After all, he was going through it now. He could only imagine what would happen if he confronted his parents about wanting to become a musician when he grew up. Not that he would ever put himself through that, it was only a silly childish dream after all, like when kids say they want to be a superhero, or a pirate.

* * *

The waiting room for the interviews was the same as ever, Rachel and Quinn already sitting together, talking about everything and anything, until they were called for their interviews. The girls went first, Rachel to Judy, and Quinn to Eric. Kurt was sure that the cameras would love hearing about the girls' newfound friendship.

Blaine, Kurt noticed, was acting more distant than usual. He knew it was because he was remembering what had happened with his brother. He wrapped his arm around his best friend's shoulder, and felt some of the tension melt away. They stayed like that for a few minutes, while the adults talked amongst themselves. Eventually, they started talking softly about music, and what Kurt should do for the school talent show which was coming up in a few weeks. Kurt had tried to get Blaine to enter, but he understood why Blaine was reluctant to perform, after what had happened.

* * *

Kurt walked into Eric's interview room, and smiled when he saw not only several sketch pads and watercolour sets, along with very high quality pencils, but also a microphone, guitar and keyboard. He hoped that the other room would be similarly stocked. Blaine could use an outlet like that. He picked up a sketch pad and started doodling outfits, marvelling at how the obviously expensive pencils simply glided across the paper, and how the paints blended perfectly.

* * *

Blaine was nervous about his interview, and he knew it was obvious to Judy as soon as he walked in the door. However, when his eyes fell on the acoustic guitar resting in the stand next to the usual plush armchair, on which rested a large book with the title "_Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_", his face lit up, and he immediately started fiddling with the strings on the guitar, tuning it and testing the sound.

Cooper hadn't gotten the chance to teach him very much of the instrument, but he hadn't brought his guitar with him when he left, so Blaine had taught himself most of the basics, and was now able to play a few songs by ear. He had even written a few simple chord sequences, though he hadn't mastered writing lyrics yet. His parents had cancelled his piano lessons the previous month. They claimed it was because they were getting too costly and they needed to cut back, but Blaine knew the truth. They had plenty of money, but it was a precaution against Blaine becoming skilled enough to try to forge a career from it later in life. Too late.

* * *

"That is a very good design, Kurt" Eric commented, when Kurt had set it aside to dry and the cameras had started rolling. "Do you think fashion is something you might want to do when you grow up?"

"Well, I'm not really sure. I love fashion, of course, but I really want to be an actor on stage. Designing is just a hobby. For now at least." As he answered, he realised that he had never put much thought into what he wanted to be when he grew up. He figured it didn't really matter. It wasn't like he was in a hurry, being only eleven.

"So you still enjoy singing? Would you like to maybe sing again?" Eric had hoped he would of course. The audience response to the last time had been phenomenal. Kurt seemed to debate for a moment, before replying.

"Well I suppose I could. I'll have to decide on a song though. Can it wait until the end?"

"Of course. We wouldn't want you forgetting lyrics or anything now would we?" Eric joked back.

"So tell me, Kurt. What happened for you this year? Anything exciting?"

Kurt paused and thought about this. What had happened this year? All he could think of was what Blaine had gone through, but, that was for Blaine to talk about. He had started Middle school, but there wasn't much to talk about there. He talked a bit about Tina and Mercedes, and how he was still just as close with Blaine, if not closer. There wasn't really much else to say about his year, so they left it mostly at that, before Eric gestured towards the microphone.

Kurt stood nervously and walked to it. He wasn't sure why he was so much more nervous this year. It was probably because he now understood how popular this show was. People at school kept referencing things they had said, sometimes mocking, sometimes in hushed tones as they passed in the corridors. The latter usually had something to do with the sensitive subjects they had discussed, such as Kurt's mother, or Blaine's parents.

He stood at the stand, and took a deep breath. This song was for his best friend, who he knew needed support and friendship more than anything right now. He whispered something to the keyboard player whom Eric must have summoned at some point, who started to play. Then he began singing.

_Sometimes in our lives,  
We all have pain,  
We all have sorrow,  
But if we are wise,  
We know that there's always tomorrow._

As he sang, his worries melted away, and he was lost in the music yet again. When he reached the chorus, various members of the crew began clapping along, keeping the beat.

_You just call on me brother, when you need a hand,  
We all need somebody to lean on,  
I just might have a problem that you'd understand,  
We all need somebody to lean on.  
_

As he finished the song, he re-focused on the room and saw, again, the amazed faces of those present. The sight turned his face red, and he was unable to suppress a smile. He really loved performing.

* * *

Blaine sat, strumming on the guitar, humming absentmindedly, until Judy called on him to start his interview.

"You are a very talented musician. How long have you been playing?" She asked. It took Blaine off-guard, as the last thing he expected from Judy was a genuine compliment (or, at least, it was genuine as far as he could tell), So it took him a while to answer.

"Well, my b-brother started teaching me a few months ago, but... Well... He's moved out, you see, so I figured most of it out by myself. I wouldn't exactly consider myself overly talented though. I'm sure there are loads of people better at it than me." His answer was quiet, and he berated himself silently for stumbling over the word "Brother". It's not like Coop was dead, even though he may not live in the same house anymore. He would be in college by now anyway, so he wouldn't be living at home anyway. He told himself not to get too emotional, and to carry on. He smiled at Judy, giving her a sign to carry on.

"Yes, Cooper moved out to go to college, right? It must be hard for you living without him; I understand the two of you were quite close?" A look of confusion swept across his face. She didn't know? He debated briefly whether to correct her about the circumstances of his brother's leaving, but the thought of what his parents would say, or do, quickly discouraged him.

He agreed with her, adding, "Of course, I always knew he would move out eventually, but it came so suddenly." Judy was giving him a strange look, so he continued, "I wasn't expecting it, but I still get to talk to him on the phone, and I visit him every now and then, so it's fine."

He immediately realised his mistake. His parents didn't know he visited Cooper. They didn't even know where he was. He idly answered the rest of Judy's questioned, internally filled with sheer panic. When Judy noticed something was wrong and inquired about it, he said that he simply had a slight stomach ache, and that it was nothing to worry about.

It was then that he heard the voice coming from the next room. The song was faint, but instantly recognisable as the same song Kurt had sang the day after Cooper's departure.

_Lean on me, when you're not strong,  
And I'll be your friend,  
I'll help you carry on..._

The song filled him with the strength to finish the interview, knowing that his best friend would be there to help him figure out what to do. Never had he been more grateful for the friendship they shared.

* * *

In the car on the way home, Blaine told Kurt his problem, and, as he had foreseen, Kurt had the perfect solution. He hoped it would work, and as he fell asleep, curled up in the corner, for the first time in almost a year, he didn't feel as though he needed his older brother beside him.

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to leave a review, and if you wanna talk to me about anything in the story, my tumblr and twitter are on my profile page. **

**Love you all,**

**-Sorcha xx**


	6. Age 12 Coming Clean (sort of)

**A/N I'm ALIIIVE (and also incredibly apologetic!) I have an explaination, but I'll save it 'till the end. this story is on hiatus, but I will finish it eventually, although updates will be sporadic at best...**

**Disclaimer: I am not even going to get into how much I DO NOT own Glee Right now...**

* * *

"Blaine? Are you in here?" Kurt asked, walking into the boys toilets. He had seen Blaine get teased moments ago, and before he could do anything, his friend had run off, tears in his eyes, leaving the other boys laughing and scoffing behind him. Kurt quickly ran after him, and had followed him here. There was a slight sniffling coming from the farthest stall from the door, and Kurt pushed gently on the door, which swung open, having not been locked.

Blaine stood facing away from the door, tissues pressed to his face, and his shoulders shaking. His hair was coming loose from the gel that usually encased it. Kurt put his hand on his shoulder, and suddenly Blaine turned around, and was hugging him tighter than ever before.

"Kurt... I... "Blaine sobbed into his shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay, Blaine. Let it out." He soothed. "What did they say this time?"

It was a while before Blaine answered, when his sobs had subsided enough under the comforting to allow him to speak. He moved away from Kurt and sat on the closed toilet seat. He took a deep breath before speaking slowly, as though each word was a struggle.

"They... It was more of the usual really, I just... I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand there and hear them tease me about being... That... Not now." Kurt nodded and reached out for his hand.

"Blaine. You are ten times better than any of those idiots, okay? Remember that. Nothing they say can ever affect you. They know nothing about you. Why is now any different to before? They were saying the same things about us in third grade, why is it suddenly hurting you so much more? You can tell me anything, Blaine, you know that right?"

Blaine sighed and closed his eyes. "I just... I have been thinking and... I think that they might be right." He replied, resignedly.

"Right? About what? Blaine, you can't say that. You are a good person and they are not justified in anything they say to you... Blaine, is this about your parents..? Did they do anyth-"

Blaine cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "No, Kurt, it's nothing like that... It's just, what if I am... If I think I might really be... you know..." He looked imploringly up at Kurt through his eyelashes, as though begging him not to make him say it. Kurt said nothing, however.

"Kurt, I think I might... Like boys. You know, the way I'm s'posed to like girls." His eyes barely left his toes through this whole speech, and he seemed to be so interested in the details of the stray piece of toilet paper on the floor, that he didn't notice Kurt's expression. The friendly reassurance that he wasn't going anywhere. All he felt was the arm circling his shoulders, and Kurt holding him close and whispering that it was okay. They stayed like that until the end of recess, and Blaine wiped his face, re-applying his hair gel before going back to class when the bell rang.

That night, their parents had to go to the studio for interviews of their own, and the two boys spent the night at Cooper's apartment on the other side of town.

* * *

The interviews for that year came sooner than expected. It was the first time that Burt was unable to accompany them to the interviews, and he had organised for Hiram and Leroy to collect Kurt. Blaine's parents decided they would rather show and interest in their son than let him get into the car with "those people". The shock was evident on the faces of all involved, but disguised least in Blaine's, who seemed to have never had his parents bring him anywhere before.

He only wished they had come to this decision out of love for him, rather than for their hatred of what they didn't realise were people like him.

The car ride was awkward, to say the least. It was strange, Blaine thought. When he was younger he had never realised how dysfunctional his family was. He knew that he got hurt a lot, but it was only when he was bad, so that was normal, right? Sure, when he started spending time at the Hummel's, he noticed differences. He always preferred it there, but he knew that when his family had guests over, they never hurt him, and always acted nice to him, even when he was bad. He always just assumed that the Hummels were like that too. Every family was, right? It was only recently that he had realised that maybe his family wasn't "normal". After all, no-one else's parents ran their eldest son away from home the day he turned sixteen. No-one else refused to bring their youngest son to activities, making him walk by themselves in the pouring rain, unless of course the alternative was having him in the car with a – gasp- _gay couple._

The arrival of the Anderson parents in the waiting area was like a massive, trumpet-playing, ballet-dancing elephant in the room. As soon as they got in the door, all eyes were on them. Quinn's father seemed to be some sort of business acquaintance of Mr. Anderson, and they got into a – very stiff – conversation regarding office space or something of the sort. They ignored everyone else in the room. Blaine immediately made his way over to the corner where Kurt and the girls were talking about some TV show or other, and joined in with them. Kurt gave him an odd look, but said nothing, and Blaine was grateful.

* * *

Kurt worried slightly when he saw Blaine being ushered into Eric's room for his interview. Sure he came across as much friendlier than Judy, but Kurt knew from experience that he was definitely much blunter when it came to his interviewing technique. He hope Blaine would be able to speak to him with his parents so nearby.

Walking into Judy's interview area, Kurt once again took a seat in the cushy armchair, realising suddenly that it didn't seem quite as enormous as it had, even last year. He flicked through a magazine, sketching some of the styles he liked in it, and humming to himself until his interview began.

"So, Kurt. You told me last year you wanted to be a performer, yes? How is that going for you...?"

* * *

Blaine sat quietly in the now-familiar surroundings. He casually flicked through a book he had picked up and was fighting the urge to pick at the guitar, or fiddle with the piano. God only knew what would happen if his parents heard. He supposed it wouldn't matter. They would probably just think it was Kurt, and spend the night lecturing him on how he was a bad influence. He was actually relieved when Eric sat up and started asking him about school. Anything was welcome today that would distract him from his parents. Or so he thought.

He began rambling aimlessly about how he was starting to improve in math class, and how he still attended choir practice for extra credit (that's what he used as an excuse, anyway...) Eric asked him a few very simple questions to catch up with Blaine, before he said something that caught him off guard. "So Blaine, you're twelve now, right? You gotta tell me... Do you have a girlfriend yet?" Blaine spluttered. How could he answer that without giving away what he was?

* * *

Kurt spoke for about ten minutes flat about how he had performed in the school talent show, and had come _this close _to first place. He held his thumb and forefinger up to indicate just how close it had been. Judy mocked being shocked that he hadn't won, but he replied, with a solemn expression, that if Rachel Berry wanted to win something, she almost definitely will. He didn't mention how the judges had docked marks from him for singing what they claimed had been a "girl's song". He didn't mind, though. Blaine had cheered for him- and so had Burt- and that was all that really mattered in the end, wasn't it?

When asked about school, Kurt quickly reeled off the well-rehearsed speech about grades and his friends, a variation of which he gave every time his father asked him how it had gone. There was a lot Kurt never said; now he thought about it. How he always got teased because of his high voice, even though there was only one boy whose voice had broken in the group who bullied him. How he had people shout comments about what he wore almost every day. How Noah- He refused to call him by the nickname he had made for himself a few weeks ago- had taken to calling him "fairy boy" around the playground. But most off all - what he absolutely never mentioned - was that in some small way he was glad for these things. Because if they were aiming these insults at him, that meant the attention was not on Blaine. Blaine would not have to face his parents about this issue anytime soon. Not if Kurt had anything to do with it.

* * *

Blaine stuttered something about not really liking many of the girls in school in that way, hoping that Eric would leave it there and ask him something different. Apparently, though, luck was not on Blaine Anderson's side today.

"Oh come on now Blaine! Surely there's gotta be one girl! How about Quinn? You two seem to be pretty close, eh? I bet loads of girls have a crush on you these days, with that cute little face of yours, eh?" Blaine immediately went beetroot red, which Eric took as confirmation. No matter how much he tried to protest that he most certainly did not like Quinn as anything more than a friend, Eric wouldn't let up on the subject.

"Well if you really don't like Quinn like that, there has to be someone. Or if there isn't anyone right now, what kind of girl do you think you'd like? Who knows, maybe you could get yourself a little girlfriend from the show!" Be exclaimed, a strange gleam in his eye as he monitored Blaine's reaction.

Blaine's mind was racing. He thought he would just have to make up a crush on someone to get Eric off his back. He wracked his mind trying to think of which of his female friends he could say, and then warn them before the show aired. He settled on Rachel, because he knew that she wouldn't be too angry, and if he ended up having to explain why he was making up a crush, she would probably understand. Her dads were gay, so she wouldn't bully him for coming out to her right? He hoped so...

He realised that he had been silent for too long, and most of the production crew were staring at him curiously. Eric was apparently the only one who hadn't noticed his inner turmoil and even the cameraman was shooting a warning glance to the presenter. Blaine panicked. He drew the words to the tip of his tongue, and prepared to say "Fine. I like Rachel. Can we move on!?" When he opened his mouth, however. That was not what came out. He didn't even realise he had said it, until he heard it echoing from one of the microphones in his own voice. "I don't like Quinn! I don't like any girls! I'm gay, okay!"

The entire room was dead silent after that, aside from the faint sound of the electrical equipment. Blaine himself had gone deathly pale, with tears streaking down his face. He was trembling and seemed incapable of saying anything else.

* * *

Eric was the first to leave the interview room that day, and later on, in the editing room, Judy felt that had she not known better, she would have sworn he wore a smug smile all the way through playing Blaine's interview recording, as he insisted that the clip was put into the final edit.

Blaine's parent's didn't even acknowledge his shaken appearance, or question the cause - past giving him a clip round the ear when they got home for "Showing them up in public". They were home by the time Kurt got out of his interview.

* * *

**My excuse: I was writing this chapter a week or two after I last updated (I know..) but somehow half of it got deleted.. I got frustrated and completely lost inspiration. Then I was in a show and had rehearsals twice a week. Between that and school I had no time to write. The Show ended before Christmas, and I only just caught up with school work a few weeks ago. I'm on Easter break this week and next week, so i'm planning on writing as much as possible. However I may only be able to get one chapter of each of my stories done, and I am really sorry. So here is me telling you that this story is NOT abandoned, merely slow... Thank you all for your patience. I really don't deserve it. **

**Please leave me a review with what you think! My twitter and tumblr are on my profile page if you wish to contact me in another way :)**

**~Sorcha**


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